BSP to oppose UP Govt's move to amend Dalit land law

LUCKNOW: Taking strong exception to Uttar Pradesh government's move to amend a law for allowing sale of land belonging to Scheduled Caste members to those of other castes, BSP today said the party will oppose it in the upcoming session of the state legislature.

Terming as "anti-dalit" the decision to amend the UP Zamidari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, BSP national president Mayawati said it was result of SP's "casteist thinking and conspiracy" and feared that it will lead to goonda elements in the ruling party grabbing land belonging to Dalits in the state.

"Because of its poisonous and casteist thinking, SP government wants to make Dalits landless for life for which they decided to amend the Act in a meeting of the state cabinet on August 4," she said in a press release here.

"This is yet another decision of the SP government which would be rejected immediately once the BSP comes to power and thrown in the waste paper basket," she said, adding her party will oppose the amendment bill when it comes up in the coming session of the state legislature and block its passage in a democratic manner.

A brief monsoon session of the UP legislature starts on August 14.

The cabinet had decided to amend the Act to relax the present provision wherein a person belonging to the SC has to seek district magistrate's permission to sell his land to a person belonging to any other caste in case his land holding is less than 3.5 acres to ensure that he continued to hold at least 1.26 acres.